2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C240 change wheel

243 Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:

Driving style


Tire pressure


Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better aquaplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
ensure that the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction of tire rotation.Checking tire inflation pressure
Regularly check your tire pressure at inter-
vals of no more than 14 days.
Correct the tire pressure only when tires
are cold.If the tires are warm you should only cor-
rect the tire pressure if it is too low for cur-
rent operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the spec-
ified tire inflation pressures for warm and
cold tires as well as for various operating
conditions.
Tire pressure changes by approx. 1.5 psi
(0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of air tempera-
ture change.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
six years, regardless of the remaining tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.
Warning!
G
If the tire pressure repeatedly drops

check the tires for punctures from for-
eign objects


check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim
iThe pressures listed for light loads are
minimum values offering high driving
comfort.
Increased inflation pressures listed for
heavier loads may also be used for light
loads. These higher pressures produce
favorable handling characteristics. The
ride of the vehicle, however, will be
somewhat harder. Never exceed the
max. values or inflate tires below the
min. values listed in the fuel filler flap.

245 Operation
Winter driving
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter have your vehi-
cle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service in-
cludes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“S” to a premixed windshield washer
solvent / antifreeze which is formulated
for below freezing temperatures
(page 338).


Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to ensure
that the engine can be started, even at
low ambient temperatures.


Tire change. We recommend M+S rat-
ed radial-ply tires on all four wheels for
the winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 39°F (4°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Use of winter tires
is the only way to achieve the maximum ef-
fectiveness of ABS, ESP and 4MATIC* in
winter operation.
For safe handling, ensure that all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available from your tire dealer or
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under 0.16 in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no long-
er suitable for winter operation.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

280 Practical hintsWhere will I find ...?
Remove vehicle tool kit storage well
casing5.
3Arrow
4Minispare wheel
5Vehicle tool kit storage well casing
6Vehicle tool kit
Wheel wrench
Vehicle jackVehicle jackVehicles with full size tire spare wheel
The vehicle jack is stored in the space
underneath the trunk floor together with
the vehicle tool kit in the storage tray
(
page 281).
Vehicles with Minispare wheel
The vehicle jack is stored in the space
underneath the trunk floor together with
the vehicle tool kit in the vehicle tool kit
storage well casing (
page 279).
Storage position
Remove the vehicle jack from its
compartment.
iArrow3 on vehicle tool kit storage well
casing5 must point in the direction of
travel. Otherwise you cannot place the
storage well casing on top and secure
the Minispare wheel with retaining
screw1 (
page 279).
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use,
e s p e c i a l l y o n h i l l s . A l w a y s t r y t o u s e t h e j a c k
on level surface. Make sure that the jack
arm is fully seated in the jack take-up
bracket. Always lower the vehicle onto
sufficient capacity jackstands before
working under the vehicle.


283 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
Removing the Minispare wheel
Lift trunk floor cover and engage trunk
floor handle in upper edge of trunk.

Loosen the retaining screw
(page 279) in the middle of storage
well casing.

Remove the storage well casing.

Remove vehicle tool kit storage well
casing4.

Remove Minispare wheel3.
Storing the Minispare wheel

Place Minispare wheel3 in wheel well.

Place vehicle tool kit storage well
casing4 over the Minispare wheel. Be
sure that the arrow2 on storage well
casing4 points in the direction of
travel.

Place storage well casing (
page 279)
over the vehicle tool kit storage well
casing4 and turn the retaining screw
(
page 279) clockwise to its stop to
secure the Minispare wheel.
iThe arrow2 on vehicle tool kit storage
well casing4 must point in the
direction of travel, otherwise you
cannot place the storage well casing
(page 279) on top and secure the
Minispare wheel with the retaining
screw (
page 279).
!To prevent damage, always disengage
trunk floor handle from upper edge of
trunk and lower trunk floor before
closing the trunk lid.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the Minispare wheel are
different from those of the road wheels. As
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a Minispare wheel
mounted.
The Minispare wheel should only be used
temporarily, and should be replaced with a
regular road wheel as quickly as possible.

297 Practical hints
Flat tire
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Engage the steering wheel lock in the
straight ahead position and set the
parking brake.

Move the selector lever toP (manual
transmission to first or reverse gear).

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Mounting the spare wheel
Prepare the vehicle as described under
"Preparing the vehicle" on this page.

Take the spare wheel out of the trunk
as described on (
page 281) (full size
tire spare wheel) or (page 282)
(Minispare wheel).
Lifting the vehicle

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
(not included) or other sizable objects.
When changing wheel on a level surface:

Place one chock in front of and one
behind the wheel that is diagonally
opposite to the wheel being changed.
When changing wheel on a hill:

Place chocks on the downhill side
blocking both wheels of the other axle.

Take the two-piece wheel wrench and
the jack out of the trunk (
page 279).
Assemble wheel wrench.
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use, es-
pecially on hills. Always try to use the jack
on level surface. Make sure that the jack
arm is fully seated in the jack take-up
bracket. Always lower the vehicle onto suffi-
cient capacity jackstands before working
under the vehicle.


298 Practical hintsFlat tireWheel cover on vehicles with steel rims
(Canada only)
O n w h e e l t o b e c h a n g e d , r e m o v e w h e e l
cover by reaching into two openings of
the wheel cover and pulling away from
the wheel.

On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with
wrench). The jack take-up brackets are located di-
rectly behind the front wheel housings and
in front of the rear wheel housings.

Place jack on firm ground.

Position jack1 under the take-up
bracket2 so that it is always vertical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side,
even if the vehicle is parked on an
incline.

Jack up the vehicle until the wheel is a
maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm) from the
ground. Never start engine while
vehicle is raised.

300 Practical hintsFlat tire

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.Minispare wheel
Warning!
G
Always replace wheel bolts that are
damaged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be
repaired immediately. Do not continue to
drive under these circumstances! Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect mounting bolts or improperly
tightened mounting bolts can cause the
wheel to come off. This could cause an
accident. Be sure to use the correct mount-
ing bolts.
Warning!
G
Use only genuine equipment
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. They are identi-
fied by the Mercedes star. Other wheel bolts
may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the
vehicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle
could tip over.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the Minispare wheel are
different from those of the road wheels. As
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a Minispare wheel
mounted.
The spare wheel should only be used
temporarily, and replaced with a regular
road wheel as quick as possible.

342 Technical termsCOMAND*
(C
ockpit M
anagement and D
ata
System)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and navi-
gation system, as well as for other
optional equipment (CD changer,
telephone, etc.).
Control system
The control system is used to call up
vehicle information and to change
component settings. Information and
messages appear in the multifunction
display. The driver uses the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel to
navigate through the system and to ad-
just settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and placed on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine pro-
duced.
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
(E
lectronic S
tability Pr
ogram)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem's threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRSFSS
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem)
Service indicator in the multifunction
display that informs the driver when
the next vehicle maintenance service is
due.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.
GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer
and fuel gauge.